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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

My Utah Pioneers

Pioneer Day Parade circa 1970
Paris, Idaho

I didn't realize that it was Pioneer Day yesterday until last night so today I just wanted to take this time to pay tribute to my Pioneer ancestors. If it were not for their faith, fortitude, and courage; I would not be here.

James and Maren Kerstina Arff Poulsen made their way to Zion with the Joseph Horne Company. On the 27th of July in 1862, 570 individuals and 52 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Florence, Nebraska. They arrived in the Salt Lake valley October 1, 1862.

Robert and Matilda Louisa Kelsey Price crossed the plains with the Milo Andrus Company. 620 individuals and 38 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha). They arrived in Salt Lake 12 September 1861.

George Washington Piggott along with wife Catherine Allen Howland and three of their four children were among pioneers that traveled to Utah with the Cyrus H. Wheelock Company. There were about 400 individuals and 52 wagons in the company when it began its journey 1-3 June 1853 from the outfitting post at Keokuk, Iowa. This company included a California company. They crossed the Missouri River on July 11. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley 6-16 October 1853. My great-great-grandfather William Henry Piggott was 11 years old at the time.

My 3rd great-grandmother Mary Edwards White Cannon Taylor crossed the plains with her second husband Charles Barber Taylor sometime in 1850. They were accompanied by her daughter Elizabeth Edwards Cannon; my 2nd great-grandmother; age 5, and their son Charles Edwards Taylor age 1.

Jacob and Dorthea Christen Jensen Madsen and their children; including my 2 year old 2nd great-grandfather Niels; crossed the plains in mid 1857.

Henry Needham and Sarah Mathias Bake and children traveled with Captain Ira Eldridge's Company leaving the 1st of July 1861. Sarah walked nearly all the way across the plains, bare-footed, but a cow stepped on her foot and broke it so she had to ride the rest of the way, arriving in Salt Lake Sep 13, 1861. My 2nd great-grandmother Rebecca Hannah Bake was four years old at the time. Her memory of that trip and the hard times that followed was very vivid.

My 2nd great-grandfather John Thompson Barker arrived safely in Salt Lake City on 26 Sep 1862. The details of his trek across the plains is not known.

Jane Maria Pickett crossed the plains from Missouri arriving in Salt Lake some time in 1862 with her step-mother and uncle.

Samuel Newton Henderson was a nine year old orphan boy when he made the journey from Nauvoo, Illinois with the Pioneers. He made the trip with Mr. and Mrs. Gates in the Daniel Spencer/Perrigrine Sessions Company. She didn't have any children of her own and Samuel's grandfather Samuel, Sr said it would be alright if little Samuel went with them and she could raise him. 185 individuals and 75 wagons were in the company when it began its journey 18 June 1847 from the outfitting post on the Elkhorn River about 27 miles west of Winter Quarters, Nebraska. They arrived in Salt Lake 24-25 September 1847.

Jonathan Pugmire and his 5 children including my 3rd great-grandfather Joseph Hyrum Pugmire who was 13 at the time, left from Nauvoo 1846 bound for the Salt Lake Valley. Joseph's mother, Elizabeth Barnes, died on the 2nd half of the trip, en route from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake. She died at Florence, Douglas, Nebraska.

September 29, 1847 the Jonathan Pugmire family arrived in Salt Lake with the Captain Edward Hunter's company.

Samuel Henderson and his second wife traveled with the Easton Kelsey Company. 100 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Kanesville, Iowa (present day Council Bluffs). They originally departed about June 10, 1851 but turned back due to Indian trouble. They left again June 29, 1851. Luman A. Shurtliff was captain of the 1st Fifty and Isaac Allred was captain of the 2nd Fifty.

And those are my Pioneers. If you have Mormon Pioneers in your tree, you may find the following links helpful.